Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has revealed that he will personally go and see Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho about keeping goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
The 24-year-old has impressed since joining Villa on loan in January, but he will return to Old Trafford at the end of the season and will likely find himself back on the bench behind David De Gea and Sergio Romero in the pecking order.
In turn, Bruce is hopeful that he can persuade Mourinho to let him keep him next season, and he’s revealed that after speaking with the Portuguese tactician over the phone, he will meet him in person to get the deal sorted.
?? Steve Bruce on the prospect of signing @SamJohnstone50…
#AVFC pic.twitter.com/DbDBiNoICs— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) May 9, 2017
Bruce will be tasked with getting Villa in a proper position to challenge for promotion next season as a poor start and inconsistency led to them finishing in 13th place this past year.
While he had a positive impact overall and has now built a strong squad, albeit still lacking balance which will undoubtedly be addressed in the summer, the former Hull City and Sunderland boss will be keen to get back to work and ensure that next season is a successful one.
Johnstone was one of the first players that he decided to bring in after replacing Roberto Di Matteo and waiting for the January transfer window, and so he evidently rates him highly and has important plans for him moving forward.
As for United, it may well be the perfect solution for them too as Johnstone will continue to gain experience and regular playing time in order to prove himself and secure a long-term future at Old Trafford.
There are question marks over De Gea, and so perhaps Mourinho will need to be sure of a few things first before allowing Johnstone to head back to Villa Park.